All over the state, people are heading off to catch some sun, sand and surf. Some go south for surfing, wineries and tall trees. Some go north and hole up in shacks dotted along the sandy shipwreck coast as the wind blows in. The strong westerlies don't bother them as long as there are crayfish and sunshine.

What are the essential ingredients for a great roadtrip? While having your destination in mind, the actual journey is an important element of the experience.

Road music

Regardless of your destination, making the journey more enjoyable is about creating atmosphere. You obviously need music. ABC's Wide Open Road site is the definitive guide to Australian road music.

The Australian landscape features vividly in many great musicians work. Western Australian musicians such as The Pigram Brothers or John Butler make great rolling tracks that propel you through country.

If you're looking for something a bit more 'old school', then The Triffids or Tex Perkins will set the mood beautifully. The Panics also write great travelling music from the edge of Perth. The Waifs cover the road from one end of the country to the other. Music for the Nullarbor includes Kasey Chambers and country classics.

Soundtracks to movies often are a great shorthand leap into the atmosphere of a location. The soundtrack to Mad Bastards is a great way to feel the red dust of the Kimberley in your veins as you throttle along the Great Northern Highway. In the Pilbara, the sound track to Red Dog contains some great driving classics.

Program your mp3 player with playlists and podcasts and off you go. Talking books can also be an amazing way to enhance your journey, especially if you're travelling with the whole family.

Roadhouses

You can only go so far on music. Sooner or later you're going to have to fuel up. The broad open highways are dotted with Roadhouses, which are like dusty oases of truckstop food and graffitied amenities.

The Nullarbor has a number of roadhouses each with its own unique character. The Cocklebiddy Roadhouse is an icon, being near the old Eyre Telegraph station and access to the Eyre Bird Observatory.

If you're heading to the Coral Coast, the Overlander Roadhouse has generated its own fame as there is no actual location with that name, but it the name 'Overlander' is now in general use. The roadhouse marks the entry into Monkey Mia. You can pull in and overnight at the Overlander, as you can at many roadhouses. Some, like the Willare Roadhouse, have cabins or 'dongas' for overnight respite.

In the Kimberley, Doon Doon and Turkey Creek roadhouses are cavernous and well stocked. Check out the spectacular painting of by world renown Warmun artist Rover Thomas on the wall of the Turkey Creek dining room. And the Doon Doon roadhouse cheese toasties are almost worth the trip on their own.

Even the Willare Roadhouse near Derby has its own character with its roaming cooks and labyrinthine halls, rooms and truckies dongas.

So, you can fuel up the vehicle and fuel up the body. Roadhouse food has its own culinary style. It's probably not something you'd want to eat every day, but a roadhouse pie and chips, is essential to keep you on the move. Generally speaking, if you are a connoisseur of good coffee, the coffee in roadhouses should to be avoided. A mug of weak tea is probably more in keeping with the roadtrip vibe.

And hitting the road again, don't forget to take an icecream to eat in the car. Mints or lollies for that between stops sugar-fix are also pretty essential.

If you're travelling with kids, packets of sultanas are not recommended as you'll be trying to collect the fallen sultanas from all over the floor of the car for the next six months.

There are the teatowels and snowdomes, fridge magnets and truckstop caps. They're all classic souvenirs. The best ones are often from the most out the way places. The Iminjti Roadhouse stubby cooler may be a conversation starter and retain pride of place in your collection for years to come.

But there's also the most personal form of souveniring. Picking up small pebbles that rattle on the dashboard and remind you of that particular roadside stop, sticking colourful wildflowers in your hat and taking seed pods from unusual plants, are all personal experiences. However, respect for our flora and fauna is paramount.

All native plants and animals are protected under the Wildlife Conservation Act in WA. Visitors are asked to 'leave no trace' when visiting parks and reserves Check DEC for information on protecting the environment.

Safety

Before you head off on a roadtrip, make sure your car is in good shape. Ensure you have a good spare tyre as help can be a long way away if you break down in a remote area. Some roadhouses like Warburton have garage facilities, but not all.

Don't drive for longer than two hours at a stretch. There are rest stops along the way and take the time to stop and smell the wild flowers. Before you head off, you can check road conditions with Main Roads WA

Weather conditions may affect your journey and it's worth keeping an eye on the radar.

You've got a couple of months of summer stretching in front of you, and there's a lot of amazing country right on our doorstep. If you want any more inspiration, Triple J and ABC Open are currently running their own road trip with some amazing shots from all over the country.

So, fuel up the car, crank the stereo and glance occasionally at the GPS. Hit the road and see where it takes you.